


Don't Stand So Close to Me

by GarnetSeren



Series: Music Inspired Oneshots [3]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Gen, Male-Female Friendship, Mentor/Protégé, Mistaken for Being in a Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-30 01:37:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11453286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GarnetSeren/pseuds/GarnetSeren
Summary: On the ship the size of the Normandy, scuttlebutt runs rife. But is there any truth behind the rumours about Adams and Tali





	Don't Stand So Close to Me

Engineer Greg Adams couldn't help but smile at the conversation the two women were having. It was nice to have someone as enthusiastic as he was in engineering... human, quarian or otherwise. Though, if he was honest, Greg was concerned what a seemingly nice young woman like Tali was doing spending _all_ her time in engineering. He was worried she was being excluded by the younger members of the crew, and was rather affronted by the notion., she was such a pleasant young woman. As he noticed Commander Shepard about to leave, having finished her conversation with Tali, he hurried to catch up with her, deciding it best to speak with his CO about his concerns.

"Hey Commander," he called. "You know Tali has been spending all her time down here, asking me questions about our engines."

"I'll tell her to leave you be, let you work," she replied.

"What? No. She's amazing."

Greg mentally kicked himself, as his mouth answered before his brain had time to think. It was then that he noticed the commander raised an eyebrow at him, a smirk playing on her lips. Realisation dawned that she was playing with him, perhaps it was even a test, and Greg laughed despite himself.  
  
"I wish my guys were half as smart as she is," he admitted. "Give her a month on board, and she will know more about our engines than I do. She's got a real knack for technology, that one. I can see why you wanted her to come along."

"I figured she'd be a real asset to the team," Commander Shepard told him.

"You got an eye for talent, commander," he conceded.

His CO patted him on the arm in a friendly gesture. "Just keep an eye on her. Let me know if any of the other crew give her a hard time.”

He saluted, happy to be of assistance. "Of course, ma'am."  
  
So to XO Pressly's annoyance, and with Commander Shepard's blessing, Greg spent the next morning showing the young Tali'Zorah how to read the drive core outputs. The scene was small, which forced them to stand shoulder to shoulder as he explained. He had been oblivious to their closeness, right up until the third: “oh, very cosy” comment. Then Greg had realised, and as he had turned to look at his young companion, he found himself nose to mask with her. The two of them had laughed it off, thinking nothing more of it. Until lunch time, when without hesitation... or invitation, Pressly had sat next to him in the mess hall.

"Apart from being a quarian, that girl is half your age," he had hissed.  
  
Adam's stared at the other man in surprise, wondering what the hell he was talking about.

* * *

Tali had been enjoying her first week on the Normandy, though she was still a little nervous around most of the crew. Garrus had been good to her, sharing his more enticing dextro supplies with her, so she wasn't left eating nutrient paste for every meal. Commander Shepard had also been extremely nice to her. She'd given Tali a full tour of the ship on her first day aboard, and even gave her official access to the engines. Tali was delighted. She liked the commander a great deal, and could see the other woman becoming a good friend... in time. She also liked Engineer Adams. The older man reminded her a lot of her Uncle Molan; Aunty Raan's late husband. Tali had been surprised that another human had been so welcoming of her, it wasn't something she had ever experienced before, from any race. But Engineer Adams had been kind enough to spend the week teaching Tali how the Normandy's engines worked, and just that morning, he'd explained the drive core output readings to her. It was something she was very grateful for, as Tali knew it would allow her to become more of an asset to Commander Shepard's crew, and she desperately wanted to be useful.

Nothing had been unusual about her day, well... up until lunch time had come, that is. Making her way to the mess hall, in order to grab a sachet of nutrient paste, one of the other young engineers had hissed: “Teacher's pet”, as she walked by. Tali had no idea what that meant, so she decided to push it to the back of her mind for now. Though she fully intended on asking either Adams or Shepard about it, the next time she saw either of them, certain one of them could explain.

* * *

There'd been an unscheduled staff meeting called for all senior Alliance personnel that evening. So at nineteen hundred hours, Greg found himself seated to the commander's left, looking directly at a very red faced Pressly. At first, he had no idea what the meeting was about, assuming it was just to relay some new orders from the brass, however it quickly transpired that was not the case. Anger was bubbling up inside him, as he listened to the blatant lies that his one time friend was spouting. He knew Pressly was xenophobic, but this was ridiculous.

"It is evident that Lieutenant Gregory Adams is having indecent relations with that... quarian," the navigation officer spat.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded, almost shaking with rage.

"Are you sure? We've both known Greg for a number of years, Charles. Do you have any proof?" Doctor Chakwas interjected.

Despite the anger, Greg took a moment to give a nod of silent thanks to Karin. They had known each other since the academy, and it was nice to know at least one old friend still had his back. After this, he doubted his friendship with Pressly would ever recover.

"Several members of engineering have reported interactions that could be seen as fraternization," Pressly replied.  
  
The man handed a datapad to the commander, and several minutes past in silence, as Shepard read over the report. Despite knowing that nothing untoward had happened, Greg found himself holding his breath.  
  
"I see," the commander said at last. "I'm sorry but this report fails to highlight any inappropriate behaviour on either Adams' or Tali's part. What it _does_ highlight to me, is that a ship the size of the Normandy is the perfect breading ground for rumours that have no place on _my_ ship.”

She paused, critically eyeing all the gathered personnel in turn, save for himself and Karin.  
  
“Now, I want to make this perfectly clear... I have asked Lieutenant Adams, as head of engineering, to personally mentor Tali'Zorah nar Rayya during her time on board. He has my _full_ authority to reprimand any subordinates that give her a hard time, as well as the required duty of informing me of any _officers_ who, likewise, make her time on board harder than it needs to be. Do I make myself clear?”

The commander paused again, almost glaring at the now embarrassed looking crew.

“Good. This meeting is now dismissed."

* * *

It was edging into the night shift when Adams returned to engineering. Behind her mask, Tali smiled at him in greeting. She had a stack of datapads she wanted him to look over, mostly containing her calculations on increasing various system performances. Without hesitation she bounded up to him, full of her usual enthusiasm, and her head filled with algorithms and projection vectors.

"Such a teacher's pet." Was muttered somewhere to her right.

It seemed Adams had heard it too, for he had stopped in his tracks. His brow furrowed as he shook his head. Tali looked at him questioningly, her bright eyes shining through the purple polycarbonate of her mask. He patted her companionably on the shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, Tali. It's just narrow minded people making rumours.” He paused, looking thoughtful. "Though perhaps from now on, maybe you shouldn't stand so close to me."

 

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note:  
> Inspired by Don't Stand So Close to Me by The Police.


End file.
